Changeable-letter sign.



J. P. BRYAN. GHANGEABLE LETTER SIGN. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 23, 1908.

919,816. I i Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

J E awwentoi 4 Jose /L P, Br an witness f U TED STATES PATENT OFFICE-JOSEPH P. BRYAN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

OEANGEABLE-LETTER SIGN. I

Specification of Letters Patent;

. Application filed Kay 23, 1908. Serial No. 434,498.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. BRY'AN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements inChangeable-Letter Signs, of w 'ch the followmg is a specification.

My invention relates to signs and'particu-' larly to those signs whereinremovable letters are used to form words, such letters being printedupon cards and inserted within the frame of the sign, the separate cardsbeing changeable or replaceable by others,'so that the reading matter ofthe sign may be changed or altered at will.

The object of my invention is to provide a sign composed of sectionssupported one from another, these sections being adapted to receiveletter-cards on both sides of a central background; one wherein thelettercards, are

thoroughly protected from dust, dampness and the entrance of water; andone in which the letters may be arranged before inserting them into theSign and may be put in place without chance of the letters becomingdisplaced.

The invention consists in the arrangement of parts and details ofconstruction as particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a front view of my invention. Fig. 2, isan enlarged transverse section of one of the letter-carrying panels. the

' p from its frame.

Fig. 1, shows a sign composed of two sections, .one section beingsuspended from the other. Each section consists of the upper and lowerframing strips 2, 2, designed to hold a line of letters between them.Each strip 2, is longitudinally recessed on its inside edge as shown inFig. 2, for the reception of the letter-holding anel 4.

The bottom of t e recess on its margin is cut out more deeply thanthemiddle of the recess bottom for the reception of the glass facingpieces 3, 3. Between these two panes of glass a letter panel is slidablyheld. The

relatively deep grooves made for the glass pieces 3,. 3, thoroughlyprevents the entrance of water into the space between the glasses. Asthe glasses-3, do not have tobe removed, they may fit very tightly intothe framlng these binding the backing 4.

Fig. 3, is a perspective view of. acking or letter-carrying panelremoved strips, or the grooves may be'filled with water tight material.i

The letter panel is shown in Fig. 3. It comprises a backing'piece4, ofpaper, cardboard, sheet metal or the like, which not only supports butforms a background for Patented April 27', 1909.

the letters, and a binding strip of metal 5,

s 5, one on each edge of ing are.firmly engaged, yet they may yieldslightly for the insertion, from one end, of

letter-cards 6, between the turned over edge- 5", .and the backing piece4, or between the interlocking fold 5, and the backing strip. It is alsoto be noted that while the turned over portions of the strip are easilyralsed from the backing piece when the panel is withdrawn from theframe, yet these turnedover folds are held somewhat compressed againstthe edges of the letter-cards when the panel is in place between theglasses 2?, 3. Thus the letters are heldsecurely 1n position, not liableto be shifted by any incllnatlon of the panel nor tobe otherwiseaccidentally moved. A further function performed by the opposed folds oneither edge of the backing strip, is to; hold the panes of glass awayfrom the letter-cards, so that 1n shdlng the panel into place betweenthe strips 2, of the frame,'the etters will not become displaced throughfriction between the mslde surface of the glass and the face of theletter-cards.

This is of primary importance in signs of this character. The lettersare liable to be displaced by accidental contact, and 1n signs in whichthe letters are covered with glass,

there is difliculty in sliding the letters in place without displacingthem. Both these objections are obviated by my constructlon and as aconsequence the advertisin matter.

of my Sign ma be arranged to muc better advantage an with a neatness notposslble in other constructions of this character.

There maybe as man sections of the sign as desired, each section beingused for a line.

I have shown two sections with rods 7, 7, strips recessed on theirinside edges, two

passing through the ends of the framing i separated transparent facingpieces sup' strips 2, and clamping these strips together. It is ofcourse, understood that the rods are to be arranged with stops 8, forthe support of the section, and that these stops may be removable, sothat the framing strips may,

be taken apart if desired. I do not Wis however, to limit myself to thismethod of attaching the framing strips, or the separate panels to eachother.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A display device of the character described consisting of sectionssupported from each other, each section comprising longitudinal framingstrips recessed on their inside edges, two separated transparent facingpieces supportedin said recesses of the framing strips, a backing ieceremovably held between said facing pieces, and letter-cards adapted tobe held on said backing piece.

2. A display device of the character described consisting oflongitudinal framing strips recessed on their inside edges, twoseparated transparent facing pieces supported in said recesses, abacking piece removably held between said facing pieces, said backingpiece having on each edge an inwardly projecting )ortion and alettercard adapted to be held etween said backing piece and said turnedover portion.

3. A display device of the character described consisting oflongitudinal framing ported in said recesses and a backing pieceremovably held between said facing pieces, said backing piece having oneach edge a binding stri which projects inward over the margin of thebacking iece and is adapted to hold a letter-card tietween it and thebacking piece, said binding strips contacting with the-inner sides ofthe facing pieces.

4. A display device of the character described consisting oflongitudinal framing strips recessed on their inside edgeshaving twolongitudinal separated grooves extending from the bottom of said recess,transparent facing pieces fitting in said grooves and a backing pieceremovably supported between said facing pieces within the recesses ofthe framing strips, the upper and lower edges of said backing piecebeing bent over upon itself, and a binding strip, one edge of whichprojects 11 under said turned over portion of the bac ing piece, saidstrip being then bent around and over the edge of the backing piece anddown upon the side thereof, thus forming guides on both sides of thebacking piece for the reception of letter-cards.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH P. BRYAN.

lVitnesses:

R. H. KRENKEL, E. Po'i'rs.

